


The Rest Of The Proof Is On The Television

by killingmonsterswritingthings



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Kissing, M/M, season 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-08-19 08:19:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 5,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8197624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killingmonsterswritingthings/pseuds/killingmonsterswritingthings
Summary: “I can’t believe you would’ve let me drive, too.”
   For every episode in which Steve and Danny don't kiss, there's a drabble where they do.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i got sick of yelling WHEN WILL THEY KISS and decided to make it happen i guess ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> these will all be weekly drabbles for season 7 episodes so beware of spoilers

 

“Well, this is a first,” Danny said as they were standing in the sun, leaning against the Camaro and waiting for Chin to come pick them up.

“Hm?” Steve made.

“You actually listening to me,” Danny explained. “I can’t believe you would’ve let me drive, too.”

“I was just gonna do it to shut you up,” Steve said, smirking.

“Yeah, I know, but my talking has never bothered you enough before to do that. Besides you’ve got other ways of shutting me up.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah, like what?”

Danny rolled his eyes but rose on his tiptoes and kissed Steve.

And if the kiss didn’t just taste like winning but maybe also a little like guilt, then that was possibly just his imagination.


	2. Chapter 2

 

They did go to the pub, after all, since their flight wasn’t until the evening. It wasn’t the same one Danny had been to with Rachel because he did have some decency, but Steve looked grumpy anyway.

“What’s up?” Danny asked

“I still think you’re only warming up old, stale memories,” Steve said, munching on his chips unhappily.

“And _I_ told you you make me happy, you big oaf,” Danny countered with a smile, leaning in closely. “I’m making new memories here, Steve. I’m enjoying this, I swear.”

“Yeah, I noticed when you laughed about me trying to order fries,” Steve said and Danny had to laugh again.

“See,” he said, “genuine laughter.” He stole a kiss from Steve’s lips and the last of his chips from his plate.


	3. Chapter 3

 

“You’re a reckless idiot, you know that?”

“You’ve told me about ten times today so yeah, I do.”

Danny was tired of talking at Steve, telling him that he was only pushing himself to an early grave – or, well, a rejected liver – so being able to show him that there was other ways was both gratifying and comforting. Like taking the elevator instead of climbing down pipes, for fuck’s sake.

“You’ve started listening to me, so keep doing it, alright?” Steve gave him an annoyed look. Danny jabbed him in the chest with a finger to drive the point home.

Steve sighed and caught Danny’s hands to stop him from leaving a bruise. “Alright!”

They both knew Steve wasn’t going to be more careful, because _careful_ wasn’t in his vocabulary, but Danny could at least try.

Steve bent down to kiss him and Danny lingered a little too long because while they had drug cartel investigation related shit to do, this was much nicer.


	4. Chapter 4

 

Danny had already told Steve that he should have called him, over the phone about thirty minutes ago, but when he did see him in that hospital bed after all, half-drowned and white as a sheet, his primary anger dissipated.

He could still smell the saltwater and imagined how it must have burnt the wound on Steve’s back.

“I told you swimming was dangerous,” he said from the doorway and Steve looked up, a small smile spreading on his lips.

“Hi.”

Danny took the fact that Steve wasn’t arguing with him as a bad sign.

“I told you not to do anything stupid,” he said and walked over to the bed, sitting down on the edge.

Steve grinned. “You know that you’re like 90% of my impulse control.”

“I’m _none_ of your impulse control because you possess none and you’re too thickheaded to listen to me,” Danny said. “But I’m glad you’re okay.”

He leant down and pressed a kiss to Steve’s forehead. “You should sleep.”

Steve scoffed a little. Danny raised an eyebrow at him. With a sigh Steve closed his eyes and Danny combed his fingers through Steve’s short hair. He could feel that it was matted from the sea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can't tell me they didn't drag steve to the hospital for this tbh
> 
> next week's drabble is going to be late because i'm gonna travel to see my girlfriend!! ahhhh


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's that promised late drabble, full of my poor bisexual ass projecting on danny....... 
> 
> enjoy :P

 

“You big, gun-loving idiot,” Danny mumbled, feeling distinctly annoyed.

But he couldn’t resist leaning over the console once Steve had put the car in park and grin at him. He knew he was going to win this argument eventually. He wouldn’t win the war, the need for weapons was too ingrained in Steve, but eventually Steve was going to see he was right. He always did, even if he didn’t admit it.

Just the fact that he had felt the need to derail the argument meant that Danny was going to win.

“What is it?”

“You don’t need a gun,” Danny said.

Steve turned to look at him, one corner of his mouth quirked in confusion, a frown etched on his face. Danny’s grin only grew wider.

“Not with those arms in this shirt...”

Steve let out a surprised snort, then the grin spread on his face, too. “Enjoying the gun show?”

Danny closed his eyes for a moment. “I set myself up.”

“You sure did, buddy.”

Danny kissed him anyway, to both distract from his embarrassment and have an excuse to feel Steve’s arms through his shirt because damn, they _were_ good arms...


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaand im back again
> 
> strangely depressing but my brain just had to, i guess;;;

 

Danny caught Steve after they left the interrogation room. He was about to head home to see if he could still catch the tail-end of the trick or treating – or at least see how much his kids had gotten – but first he needed to make sure that Steve was good.

This case seemed to have had a strangely personal effect. Danny didn’t like the way Steve had looked after coming out of that room.

“Hey, you wanna come with me and share Charlie’s candy?”

Steve smiled at him but it seemed strained. He shook his head. “I’m gonna head home, I think. Tell Charlie he’s lucky I’m not stealing all his candy.”

“Will do,” Danny said. He wanted to tell Steve to call him when he got home but he knew exactly how that would go over. Maybe he’d just call him himself later.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Steve said and started walking away.

Danny frowned. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. This wasn’t how they parted at the end of a day. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Steve stopped, turned, blinked. Then realization dawned on his face. “I’m sorry,” he said, taking a step towards Danny and pressing a quick kiss to his forehead. “I’m just tired, really.”

“I know.” Danny caught his hand, made him stay for another few seconds and kissed him properly. “Get some rest.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one seems quite messy to me but i had a lot to say after this episode and not enough space to fit it into a day and 300 words :')

 

Danny hated this.

He had been itching to punch Steve the entire flight but when he was finally standing in front of him he did no such thing.

The contents of Doris’ box were spread out on the table and Steve was standing next to it, looking a little lost but also better than Danny had expected.

He kissed him for a long time, then hugged him. “Are you okay?” he whispered against Steve’s collarbone.

Steve only held onto him for a while before answering. “I actually feel better than I have in a long time.”

“And why’s that?” Danny smiled and pulled back.

“I finally got the closure I needed.”

“The closure you deserved.”

Steve laughed. “That’s what she said, too. Catherine. That I _deserve_ to be happy.”

“I’m glad you called me,” Danny said. “You ran off on your own again but at least you called me.”

Steve rubbed his neck. “There was no need to involve you guys.”

“You know you can rely on us,” Danny said and rolled his eyes. “But you’re getting better at actually remembering at it. I can tell.”

Steve finally seemed to be healing. Danny had been afraid that this trip would hurt him even worse but it had seemed to have the opposite effect – and he was glad.

“Next time, call the others first, okay? Not me when you know I’m far enough away to be unable to help.” he said. “We’re a family and we’ve proven time and time again that we can handle it.”

Steve grimaced and didn’t say anything but Danny knew all he had to do was let the message sink in. Even Steve’s thick head wasn’t impenetrable.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i haven't been dealing with life too well this past week (then again, who has tbh?) so this is kind of... eh. but hey, it's perfect drabble length ;)

Danny hadn’t allowed himself to feel the fear until just now.

He just stood there, staring at Steve, and realized what he had almost lost. His life. His daughter. His family.

Steve stared back for a moment. Then… “No hug?”

“I’ll give you a hug, I’ll give you a kiss.” Professional environment be damned. This was personal.

Usually Steve would have smiled at that quip, but not today. Instead he just moved in for the hug.

Danny gave him the kiss anyway. Because there had been a chance he would never see Steve again, even if it had been slim.


	9. Chapter 9

 

Danny dropped onto the sofa next to Steve with a loud sigh. Steve put his arm around him without looking away from the TV.

“I’m tired,” Danny announced.

Steve’s hold around his shoulders tightened. “I know,” he said. “Me too.”

“You know, as far as conspiracies go, this was one of the more believable ones. It’s been a long day,” Danny mumbled. “Maybe I’m getting too old for this stuff.”

That did make Steve turn his head and raise an eyebrow. “You don’t mean that.”

“No, I don’t,” Danny sighed. “But sometimes I’d really like to just have a more relaxed job.”

“You could never,” Steve said.

Danny grumbled but leaned into him. “You’re right. I’d just retire early. You on the other hand would probably keep going until you’re 80 and had your hip replaced three times because you won’t stop chasing people.”

Steve didn’t laugh or protest. He was just quiet for a while, long enough for Danny to get confused and look up at him, waiting for a reaction. Steve looked pensive.

“Actually,” he finally said, “I have thought about retirement.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Not as an immediate thing but like… later. Sometimes relaxing and some time to ourselves does sound nice.”

Danny smiled. “You know we could just take some time off.”

“With the world like it is? No thanks,” Steve frowned.

“And retirement would change that? You’d still be worried, Steve.”

“Hm,” Steve made. “Yeah, I guess…”

“I know you,” Danny said. “You’re not going to retire for a long, long time.” Which was okay, really. He leaned up and kissed Steve. He wouldn’t know what to do without them working together.

But he also could see Steve dying out on a case way too clearly, and he had yet to find a way to eliminate that particular fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when in doubt, make it sad


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry that the update is a tad late, i had to study for 3 tests this weekend :')
> 
> just couldn't resist with this scene tbh, what even was this episode

 

Danny put his hand on Steve’s back.

“Do you feel the difference?”

“Yeah, I feel it, but that still doesn’t mean that it’s more than _friendly_.”

Danny scoffed. “Please. I touched you like that the day we _met_.”

Steve turned towards him, effectively making his hand slide from his back to this hip, and Danny realized his mistake a split second too late. “Oho?” Steve grinned at him.

“I didn’t say anything! Forget I said that!” Danny took his hand off Steve’s side and held both of them up in defeat, backing away.

“You know what’s a very explicitly romantic gesture?”

“Ohhh no, Steve…”

But Steve had already grasped his face with both hands and started kissing him. And of course Danny had to laugh into the kiss, because this huge idiot was _his_ idiot.

They broke apart when Kono cleared her throat, laughing. “I can come back later.”

Danny blinked at her. “No, it’s fine.” He grinned innocently. 


	11. Chapter 11

 

“You know you got kids too, right?”

Steve stared at him in the rearview mirror. “What?”

Danny held up a finger. “Nahele?” he said. He held up a second finger. “Grace.” He held up a third. “Charlie.”

Steve swallowed.

“He’s right, man,” Grover said. “You can’t single us out when you’re just as responsible.”

Steve groaned. “Yeah, but-“

“No buts,” Danny said. “We’re all gonna do this together and then we’re gonna get home and hug our kids.”

“Fine,” Steve said. “Let’s go get Chin and Sara back and then go home… to our kids.”

Danny gave a relieved smile. “Lou, give him a kiss from me.”

Grover wrinkled his nose. “No offense but I’m gonna save that for his birthday.”

“Fine.” Danny rolled his eyes and blew Steve a kiss instead. Steve caught it in the rearview mirror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy holidays friends :) i hope we don't die of anticipation before january fml


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me at that last episode: WHAT???

 

Danny pushed through the doors of the office, finding Steve hunched over his desk.

“Why is it that I can never leave without coming back to a major crisis?”  he asked.

“ Danny,” Steve said, looking up and rubbing at his eyes. “You shouldn’t be here...”

Danny waved him off. “I came on the last flight in before the island went on lockdown. A nuke? Really?”

“Where are the kids?” Steve asked.

“I left them with my parents, of course. You think I’d bring them back here with all of this going on? Come on.”

“Oh.” Steve looked back down at the papers spread out on the desk. “Good.”

“More importantly, what are you doing up?” Danny asked, coming up next to him.

Steve glared up at him. “What kind of question is that? We gotta find the Uranium before this island gets blown to bits.”

“You need to  _ sleep _ . You’re no good to anyone if you keep doing this,” Danny insisted.

Steve shook his head. “I have training, Danny. I can stay up for days. We need to find-”

“No,” Danny said. “You are literally about to fall asleep on this desk. Go take the couch. Take a nap.  I’ll look over this now. We’ll find that bomb and I promise I’ll wake you when we do.”

Steve looked like he wanted to argue but closed his mouth when Danny pointed at the couch. Instead he got up and pulled Danny in  for a short kiss before trudging over to the couch  and collapsing on it .

He already had his eyes closed when he mumbled. “I’m glad you’re here.”

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

 

“You don’t have to dance with me tonight.”

They shared a look,  Steve already grinning brightly, and  as he watched, he could see  Danny’ s smile growing wider .  For a moment he was caught in the moment, staring at Danny’s happy face.

“ What if I want to?”  Danny countered.

Steve laughed a little. “Well, then that’s a different matter.”

  


They did end up dancing. To be honest, Steve hadn’t even expected there to be any dancing but with Max and Kono involved of course someone would bust out some moves eventually.

He watched Grover shimmy to  the music for a while until  the song changed and Danny suddenly appeared in front of Steve,  extending his hand .

“May I have this dance?”

Steve raised his eyebrows and then grinned. “Of course.” He  took Danny’s hand and let him pull him to his feet.

They swayed to the song for a while  and Steve found himself humming along to the song, which in turn made Danny laugh.

It felt good to relax like this for once and Steve was glad he got to do it with his family – his  _ ‘ohana _ .

“ Hey, Danno,” he murmured.

“Mhm?”

Steve  bent down a little and kissed him.

“I’m glad you danced with me.”

 


	14. Chapter 14

 

“Honestly, I’m offended you still can’t read my mind,” Danny said after a moment –  after Steve had taken a turn towards the storage facility way too sharply.

“Oh, don’t start.  I thought you were grateful… Besides, y our head just isn’t as organized as mine. It’s all screaming,”  Steve grinned.

“That must be the weirdest and worst compliment anyone has ever given me.”

Steve raised his eyebrows at him.  “ Who said it was a compliment?”

That made Danny laugh. “I just like to interpret any insult as a compliment, makes being with you much more fun.”

“Well, I’m glad I amuse you.”

Danny lightly hit Steve’s arm and leaned over the middle console to give Steve a kiss.

“ You know I love you, babe,” he said and held onto the door handle as Steve took another turn with the tires screeching, “but the driving  examiner definitely doesn’t.”

“Oh, shut up.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "you know your boy well" and "i still can't read your mind" aka this is how i die


	15. Chapter 15

 

Danny was stretched out on  his favorite lawn chair on the patio when Steve came back. He tipped his head back and pulled down his sunglasses.

“Welcome back.”

Steve was already kicking off his boots.

“Scoot over,” he said.

Danny rolled his eyes, sat up and dropped his feet off the chair so Steve could sit down, too.  “I can’t believe you flew all the way to Arizona to arrest a Nazi.  And then came straight back.”

“I had to,” Steve shrugged  and settled down in front of Danny . “It was our case.”

“ Yeah, I know. I’m just jealous I didn’t get to go.”  Danny snuck a hand under the edge of Steve’s shirt  and Steve leaned back.

“Don’t I get a welcome back kiss?”

Danny pulled back his hand and slapped Steve’s arm.  “ _ Now _ that you’ve sat down? Who do you think I am?”

“Uh, the best partner in the world?”

“Dammit, outwitted again. Come here.”  He sighed and tapped Steve’s cheek.

Steve grinned and turned his head  to receive his kiss. Danny loved welcoming him back home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> punch! a! nazi! (or, alternatively, arrest him, that's good too.)


	16. Chapter 16

 

Danny watched the girls sitting across from them, entranced in conversation, a bright smile on Melissa’s face. He leaned in closer to Steve.

“I think we did well here,” he whispered.

Steve turned to him, their noses now almost touching, and grinned. “I agree.”

Setting up their friends had been a great success, even if it had taken a double date for them to see reason. It had taken a little courage for Danny to do it, because romantic stuff wasn’t his strong suit, but he knew that Steve wasn’t much better.

“ Honestly, that was a good idea.”  Steve kissed his ear. “ You did well.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen what the fuck was this episode like i'm. at this point the queerbaiting is just insulting. i had like 4 different ways i could write this episode that DIDN'T involve it being weird and ... aggressively and insultingly straight. like bruh if we're supposed to believe they're straight maybe don't make them fit so well and complement each other so nicely but you know. whatever.
> 
> (i'm debating writing at least one of those above mentioned options into a longer thing but that spanish exam this week is breathing down my neck)


	17. Chapter 17

 

Danny was really, really fucking angry.

“I can’t believe she pretended to be mentally ill for this.”

He was pacing through the kitchen while Steve was leaning against he counter, watching him. Steve knew better than to try and stop him.

“It’s not like there’s not enough harmful stereotypes out there already. ‘Oh, you’re just faking it.’ ‘Mentally ill people are so dangerous.’ Fuck her!”

He stopped in front of Steve and glared at him, even though he knew that it wasn’t Steve’s fault.

He threw his hands up.  “ I hate it. I hate when people call murderers and terrorists lunatics and imagine mental illnesses for them. They’re not ‘out of their mind’!  T hey know exactly what they’re doing!”

“I know.”  Steve’s voice was quiet but laced with steel. It was the kind of anger that Danny needed from him right now; noticeably there but muted, not infringing on his own emotions.

“Also I’ll have to talk to Lou because that shit won’t fly, okay. God…”  Danny raked his hands through his hair.

He had tired himself out with his tirade but the anger still coursed through his body. He needed to do something, wanted to do something.

“Hey,” Steve said. “Come here.” He had stretched his hand out towards Danny, waiting. Danny took his hand  and let himself be pulled closer . “I love you, alright?”

Danny sighed a little. “I know. It’s just… hard.”

“I know. And you have every reason to be angry.”

“I’m gonna have to calm down eventually. Before the kids get here. And preferably before I call Grover,” Danny said.

Steve laughed. “Yeah, but you always do.”

Danny pressed a kiss to  Steve’s lips  before he drew back. “You wanna order food?” he asked. Eating would make him feel better, hopefully.

“Your pick?” Steve raised his eyebrows a  bit but he was still smiling.

“Of course. No offense, but I don’t feel like arguing with you about Chinese food right now.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got SO SO angry about this episode earlier and yelled into the twitter void so as usual, danny is my way of projecting


	18. Chapter 18

 

Once the ringing in his ears and the inability to hear faded, Danny was able to bring his point across much easier.

“I  _ can’t _ name the restaurant Steve’s,” he told Steve.

They were leaning against the bent hood of the car and Danny was rubbing some soot from his arm. Steve looked weirdly endearing with his ripped shirt and streak of dirt across his cheek. Still, Danny wasn’t going to give in.

“Why not?”

Danny ra i s ed one finger.  “ Well A, if you were dead I wouldn’t want that reminder.” He raised a second finger. “B, if you’re alive I can’t just name the restaurant after one of the partners and not the other.” And finally, a third finger. “C, it’s much too good a name and I’m mad  that I didn’t come up with it myself.” 

“You’ve really thought about this, huh?”  Steve grinned a little. “ You gonna make me partner?”

Danny felt like cradling the uranium closer to his body, but he didn’t. It was threatening, despite the secure canister.

“ I have, but I’ll also have a lot longer to think about it, so I might just change my mind about that.”

Steve looked at him with his head tilted to his side, questioningly. But he didn’t say anything.

Danny sighed. “I’m not gonna retire any time soon, okay? Somebody’s gotta keep an eye on you, because you literally couldn’t have pulled off this stunt on your own.” He knew that they never acted on their own, that they went everywhere with a partner for a reason, so his fear was void. But he also knew that Steve and he were the best partnership.

“Danny and Steve’s then. Danno and Steve’s, maybe?”  Steve was grinning.

“ Oh, shut up,” Danny said but there was no edge to his voice. “Remind me again in five years.” That seemed like a sufficient time-frame.

Steve laughed and inched closer,  he  pressed a kiss to Danny’s hairline. “It’s gonna be great.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this episode??? WHAT!!!! [WHAT??](https://twitter.com/luffylaws/status/835472633793769472)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm technically way too tired to upload fic but i kept forgetting to upload this so uhh, it's not beta read, which means if you find any mistakes pls let me know

 

“How are we going to eat all these cookies?”

Danny stared at the pile of boxes, Charlie sitting next to him and munching on a cookie happily. They were eating as much as possible  of  the damn things and it still felt like they had barely made a dent in the dozens of boxes the entirety of Five 0 had bought.

Steve came up beside him, also looking at the stack of cookies on the kitchen table with an expression of dread.

“Freeze them like Jerry did?” he asked. “Feed them to birds?”

“The poor birds,” Danny mumbled.

“ I think that marketing ploy combined with our competitiveness bit us in the ass here,” Steve said and frowned.

Danny hit his arm. “Hey, language!”

Charlie giggled. “Haha, commander said ass!”

“See what you did?”  Danny looked at Steve accusingly.

Steve was biting his lip and would have looked appropriately guilty if not for the twitching of the corners of his mouth. “Sorry.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

Steve grinned at him. “I know.” He gave him a quick kiss before grabbing two cookie boxes. “Guess we’ll just have to lock them away and ration them out for the next year, otherwise Charlie is going to explode.”

Charlie laughed again.

 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there hasn't been an episode for so long and then they do... this? haha great joke guys :/  
> (like listen the storyline would be FINE if it wasn't so obviously framed as "oh rachel is vulnerable and single again here have a scene with her and danny getting close again. look, they're holding hands. ohhhhh romance.")

 

Danny felt emotionally drained. He’d sat with Rachel through telling the kids that Rachel and Stan were divorcing and now he was on the way to Steve’s, late at night, because his heart was sitting low in his chest and he didn’t want to sleep alone.

He was surprised to find Steve still up and peering up at him from the couch when he let himself into the house.

“Hey, you didn’t have to wait up for me”, Danny said and flopped down next to him.

Steve immediately put an arm around him and shrugged. “ Couldn’t sleep. How did it go?”

Danny sighed. “Charlie took it hard –  he cried, but we got him to calm downs . I think Grace knew it was coming, and she’s gonna adjust, but it’s hard on her, too...” He hated that the kids were going to have to go through that again. “ And it’s gonna be a big adjustment, with three households they’re gonna go between.”

“Stan wants shared custody, too?”, Steve asked.

“It’s not clear yet, but I bet he does. He loves those kids.” Danny paused for a second, his heart heavy in his chest like a stone. “ _ I _ love my kids.”

“I know you do”, Steve said  and kissed the side of his head softly. Danny leaned against him. “We’ll figure it out.”

Danny really really loved him.

They stayed like that for a moment, until Steve piped up again.

“We could take them for a camping trip, soon. Have some fun.”

Danny had to smile a little.

 


	21. Chapter 21

 

Danny looked at the purpling bruises on Steve’s skin with pursed lips.

“Light activity, huh?”  He touched a hand to the marred skin beneath Steve’s sternum. Steve grimaced, and Danny wasn’t sure if it was due to pain or guilt. Hopefully both.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said.

Danny raised his eyebrows. “Are you really?”

Steve stayed silent.

“You lied to your doctor – and to me – for months.”

“ I didn’t lie to you,” Steve said, suddenly defensive. “I never said a word...”

Danny groaned.  “ That’s right. You didn’t talk about it. I knew, and  I’m not even surprised, but I’m still mad.”

He knew he couldn’t change Steve, but all he had asked for was for him taking better care of himself, and he hadn’t. Sure, everything was fine  right now , but one day it would not be.

“ You know I’d go insane without this job,” Steve said.

“And you know I’ll eventually go insane with this job,” Danny countered. They eventually always came to this dilemma, and they never found a way to dissolve it, so they had learned to live with it. Usually.

“ Well, you’re still here,” Steve shrugged and Danny sighed. He was right. 

“I am. But that doesn’t make this okay. You need to take breaks, because I’m not sacrificing my liver a second time.”  He didn’t know how often he had used this argument now, but he knew it would fall on deaf ears. So he went a step further. “I don’t want to lose you, okay?”

Steve’s expression softened and he reached for Danny’s hand. “I know,” he said. “I’m… I can’t promise you anything, you know that. But I’ll try.”

It was the best Danny could hope for. He pursed his lips  but nodded.

Steve kissed Danny,  and Danny was glad . He wasn’t forgiven yet, but  he knew when to stop and let Steve think about his words.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me at the beginning of this ep: are you GOING somewhere with this????
> 
> (not edited bc i'm tired)


	22. Chapter 22

 

When Danny came home that night, Steve was already in bed – which was surprising. Sure, Steve kept to a pretty strict routine which involved an early bedtime if he wasn’t working a case, but it was way too early; the sun had barely even set.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and Steve turned towards him, a little groan escaping him.  “Are you sure you’re okay?”  Danny asked immediately.

Steve rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You got shot,”  Danny pointed out  and ran a hand over Steve’s shoulder.

“I got shot at, there’s a difference. No blood. Just some bruising.  I also got thrown through a glass door and almost choked to death, so... it’s all about perspective.”

And Danny understood that, he really did, and he didn’t want to be the broken record who kept going on and on about the same issue, but still...

“You’re not making it better here, buddy.  Your liver could literally be ripping itself apart right now.”

“ I’m fairly sure that’s not how livers work,”  Steve sighed. “The doctor checked me out and I’m fine. I really am. I’m just tired.”

Usually even Steve admitting that would have been cause for concern enough, but  Danny k ept quiet  f o r once . He could see that Steve had something more to say.

“ I also looked a man in the eyes as he died of injuries that I inflicted.”

Steve, who had seen so many people die, who had killed his fair share in the pursuit of justice, laid bare by this one death. But Danny understood.

“ It wasn’t your fault,” he said, aware that Steve knew that, that he only needed a night of rest to process it, “he could have surrendered at any point, but he didn’t. You had to protect yourself, first and foremost.”

Steve only sighed and didn’t react in any other way.

“Get some sleep,”  Danny told his partner.

“ Come to bed, too,” Steve said.

Danny laughed. “I’ll be right there.” He leaned down and gave Steve a kiss on the forehead.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what the fuck steve i'm running out of ideas here


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the late update, i was on holiday with my family over the long weekend
> 
> but BOY what an episode. it was sweet, i really liked it.

 

Danny knew he was being fidgety, but he couldn’t help it. He was still anxious from the day, and he was sure the anxiety wouldn’t subside until Makino was in protective custody.

“You know you can go see him, right?” Steve asked, coming up behind him when he was getting his fourth glass of water of the night.

Danny spun around. “No, actually, right now I can’t, so I’m probably going to stay up all night, just waiting for the call that he got taken out after all.”

Steve rolled his eyes a little. “You could go stay with him all night  and make sure nothing happened, i f you wanted,” he said.

“Yeah? And who’s gonna make sure Charlie doesn’t choke in his sleep?” Danny put his glass down and crossed his arms, only to uncross them again a moment later. “I can’t just take off.”

Steve sighed. “ You know that won’t happen.  I’m here, Danny. I can tuck him in.”

Danny could feel the twitch in his left leg developing. “I can’t just leave,” he insisted.

“You can,” Steve said, just as sure. “ I’ll drive a few pretend races with him in the new bed. No destroyed houses this time, I promise.”

Danny snorted, trying not to laugh, feeling a little of the tension drain out of him at the motion. He knew Steve was right. For a moment he weighed his options, knowing he would still be nervous if he left – but also knowing that it would ease his anxiety.

“Okay,” he finally said.

Steve put his hands on Danny’s hips and leaned in. “Go,” he said and kissed him.

Leaving got even harder then, but Danny went anyway.

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> episode: *doesn't have danny in it at all*  
> me: time to work my magic

 

Danny was glad to be on the mainland with the kids – it gave him time away from the job, and the endless stress and danger. But still he felt like he needed to keep up to date with the cases, which ended up being a problem when things like  _ people shooting at planes for their government terrorism conspiracy _ happened and Steve only had time to facetime for about five minutes before going to sleep.

He looked so damn tired.

“ Go to sleep,” Danny told him.

Steve sighed and shook his head. “I will,” he said, “but I gotta get Jerry set up for tomorrow and leave messages with all these people  so we can come back to some intel tomorrow . This is big, Danny.”

“I know,” Danny said, “but you can’t do anything about it in the middle of the night. Go. To. Sleep.” He couldn’t believe that he was about to have breakfast with his children and his mother and his partner still wasn’t in bed.

“I told you, I will.” Steve said with a lopsided smile. There was no annoyance in his tone, only exhaustion and a hint of resignation. Danny wished he could be with him right now.

“Call me when you wake up and get to the office again, okay?” Danny said.

Steve nodded and ran a hand over his eyes. “Good night, Danno.”

“Sleep well,” Danny told him and blew him a kiss.

Steve smiled.

 


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was gonna research and do sth a little more dramatic but honestly, that was too depressing so have this semi-angsty thing

 

He had let it go that night, hadn’t wanted to ruin Jerry’s party, Charlie had been there, and Steve had seemed too out of it for him to even consider making a scene. But that didn’t mean Danny had even stopped thinking about it for a second ever since then.

Every morning he woke up next to Steve he was scared for him, every time they touched he wondered how much longer they would be able to do this.

Steve noticed, because of course he did – he wasn’t stupid – and finally sat him down one night.

“I’m not dying, Danny, okay?”  He looked at him intently, as if he was trying to make him believe his words through sheer power of will.

“How do you  _ know _ ?” Danny asked.

He could see the impulse to roll his eyes on Steve’s face but then his expression softened instead. “Because I talked to my doctor. I’m not taking this lightly.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want to worry you.” Steve sighed and took Danny’s hand, threading their fingers together and cutting him off before he could say anything. “And I was scared myself.”

Danny stared at him, now unable to say anything, and his heart was so heavy. He never wanted Steve to be afraid, and especially not afraid to tell  _ him _ anything.

“We can go see the doctor together, alright?” Steve said.

Danny nodded.  He could do that. He might not want to hear everything the doctor had to say, but it would help his brain settle on something to be afraid of, instead of fraying in a thousand directions at once and settling on the worst case every time.

Steve’s free hand came up to cup Danny’s cheek and he smiled.  “I love you.”

With a sigh Danny gave in and leaned forward, kissing him for far longer than he had first thought he would – because he just didn’t want to let go, because he couldn’t lose Steve – before touching their foreheads together.

“I love you, too.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has been a lot of fun! thank you so much for reading and sticking with me :D
> 
> edit: thank you so much for over 10k hits omg

**Author's Note:**

> the title is from [20 Dollar Nose Bleed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1imBcVhO0M) by FOB because i just couldnt resist
> 
> let me know what you thought and come find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/luffylaws) or [tumblr](https://luffylaws.tumblr.com) :)


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